Edge guide for strip mills



Mm1115,193s; f L 2,111,054

EDGE GUIDE FOR STRIP MILLS Filed Dec 15, 1936 s Sheets-Sheet 1 uvvtzvron G'eoiige F G. F. PAUL EDGE GUIDE FOR STRIP MILLS Filed Dec. -15, 1936 "3;SheetsShee t 2 uvvEfi TOR 67202592 FEzuZ E fi a, I)

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EDGE GUIDE FOR STRIP MILLS Filed Dec. 15, 1936 s Sheets-Sheet s NN M ENN 2 Patented Mar. 15,1938

UNITED I STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,111,054 EDGE GUIDE FOR- s'mrr MILLS George F. Paul, Struthers, Ohio Application December 15, 1936, Serial No. 115,900 I 12 Claims.

My invention relates to strip mills used for producing thin elongated strips of steel or other metal which consist essentially of stands of rolls in which a slab or billet of steel is progressively reduced to the desired width and thickness and a runout table on which the finished strip is received from the last stand of rolls preparatory to its being placed in condition for the market by forming it into coils or in some other way. Consequently one or more coilers are frequently associated with the table for the purpose of coiling the strip on reels or drums when and as desired, it being customary to employ two coilers with each table and to use them alternately for coiling predetermined lengths of the strip so that as one coiler is operating an opportunity is afforded to remove the previously wound coil of strip from the other one and vice versa, thereby avoiding the necessity of keeping the mill idle while the finished coil is being transferred from and the leading end of the uncoiled strip attached to the coiler preparatory to forming a second coil.

In the operation of mills of this character has been found that some lateral movement or weaving of the strip takes place as it passes from the table to the coiler drum with the result that the coils formed thereon are more or less telescoped so that their ends are uneven which makes them hard to handle and frequently results in damage to the edges of the strip and scratching and abrasion of its surface, but so far as I am aware no means have heretofore been proposed for satisfactorily overcoming this condition by guiding the strip so it will be constantly fed to the coiler drum in a predetermined substantially straight line path irrespective of the particular width of the strip being rolled.

It is therefore an object of my invention to 40 provide means for guiding the strip to a, coiler associated with the runout table of a strip mill and preventing it from moving laterally as it is received by the. coiler drum with resultant production of a coil the edges of all the convolutions of which lie in a single plane substantially normal to its axis.

A-further object of the invention is the provision of guide means of the character aforesaid which are adjustable for 'various widths. of strips and in which the guiding elementscan be readily thrown opt of guiding position when desired to facilitate attachment of the end of the strip to the coiler drum or for other purposes and as readily returned to guiding positionthereafter preparatory to the strip being feed to the drum.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of strip guiding mechanism which can be readily associated with strip mills of .the customary type without material reorganization or reconstruction thereof and is therefore adapted for use with existing mills as well as forincorporation in new ones at the time they are built.

A still further object is the provision of a strip guide of the general character of that to which reference has been made in which those portions of the mechanism which contact the f edges of the strip can. be easily removed and replaced with new ones when through the constant rubbing action of the strips upon them they become unduly worn.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of design, construction and arrangement comprehended by the invention are hereafter pointed out or will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof in operative combination and association with a strip mill comprising two coilers arranged below the runout table at longitudinally spaced intervals so they can be utilized alternately to receive the strip as it is projected from the finishing rolls, all as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

. Fig. 1 is a more or less diagrammatic view in central vertical section of a portion of the runout table of the mill, the coilers and associated parts; a

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary similar section on a considerably larger scale and in greater detail of the mechanism which serves to direct the strip into the right hand coiler shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary transverse staggered section on line 3--3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary transverse section on line d-tl in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary top plan view of one of the guiding elements and associated parts;

Fig. 6 is a. fragmentary top plan view of a portion of one of the mill table gates, its associated guide roll and the mechanism by which the gate is operated, and

various types as well as with various typesv of ther than is necessary for an adequate comprehension of the invention.

; Runout tables of the character in question are usually several hundred feet in length and thus extend for a considerable distance between the vicinity of the first coiler and the last stand of rolls from which the strip is discharged lo-. cated somewhere to the right of that portion of the table shown in Fig. i. The table T consists essentially of a series of transverse rollers l with fiat plates 2 interposed between them supported on a suitable framework in the usual way, while disposed'below the level of the table are one or more coilers which may-be of any construction suitable for coiling the strip. In Fig. 1 two of these coilers C, C suitably spaced apartlongitudinally of the table are shown, each coiler consisting essentially of an inner mandrel or drum 3 upon which the strip is coiled and a series of to recede gradually from the mandrel as the strip is progressively coiled. It will be of course understood that while I have shown two coilers a greater number or but a single coiler may be provided.

For directing the strip downwardly toward the adjacent coiler the table is provided with vertically movable gates 5, 5' respectively arranged in front of each coiler considered in the direction of travel of the strip from the last roll stand, and-each gate, as best shown in Fig. 6, is mounted on a transverse shaft '5 having at each enda lever arm 8 extending over a piston 9 in a cylinder l secured to the frame of the machine so that by introducing a suitable fluid to the cylinders the gate can ,be raised from a position parallel with 'the top of the table, as shown at the left of Fig.

tion as shown at the right of Fig. 1 and in full 1 lines in Fig. 2, so as to direct thestrip angularly 1 and in Fig. 2 in dotted lines, to inclined posidownward from the surface of the table, while mounted on shaft '7 on antifriction bearings is a a guide roll it which serves to guide the strip when it is passing over or'under the gate depending on the position of the latter. A second path. of movement of the strip and it will therefore be appreciated that .by raising gate the strip may be directed into coiler C, by closing that gate and raising gate 5 into coiler C, or by closing both gates horizontally along the table away from both coilers.

m In accordance with my invention I dispose a pair of edge guiding elements adjacent guide table E3 on opposite sides of its center line so supporting guide supports 22 (as best shown in Fig. 7). one of which is disposed on each side of the center line of the table and is adapted to slide transversely thereof on these ways. Each of these supports carries a pair of spaced posts 23 which respectively project above the surface of the guide table through transverse slots 2| formed therein having their edges proximate the rolls l4 beveled as at 24 to prevent the leading end of a strip from catching in the slots and, above the table, a guide plate 25 is removably secured to the inner'faces of each pair of posts, that is, those faces thereof which are directedtoward said center line, all as best shown in Fig.

. 5. These plates 25 maybe utilized directly for guiding thestrip in which case their inner faces are of course made plane but as the strip moves very rapidly to the coiler,- frequently at the rate of some 1600' a minute, considerable wear neces-' sarily takes place between the edges of the strip and.,anything contacting therewith, so that I prefer..- to faceeach guide plate with a wear plate 26 so arranged that it can be readily renewed when required. To this end the inner face of the guide plate and the outer face oithe wear plate may be provided yvith longitudinally spaced cooperating dovetail sections, generally designated as 21, and the end of the wear plate is plate becomes excessively worn. The parts 25,

and parts 26 if employed, form,the edge guides generally designated as G. i

That portion of each guide support which is disposed beneath the guide table, interconnecting posts 23, carries an internally threaded split bushing 30 the parts of which are held together by a removable cap M, the axis of the bushing lying horizontally and transversely of the machine, and through each bushing extends an exteriorly threaded shaft 32, the pitch of the thread on the two shafts being similar but opposite. These shafts have inwardly directed extensions 33 beyond the screw thread which project into a hub 34 located at the center of the machine and supported on antlfriction bearings in a gear box 35 depending below and supported from guide table 93 and closed by removable end caps 36; a filler pipe 31 affords a convenient means of maintaining a suitable supply of oil in this box to lubricate the gears contained therein. To constrain the shafts to turn with the hub yet permit them to move axially with respect thereto, the bore in the hub is provided with one or more axially extending keyways 38 and each shaft with corresponding keys 39 extending thereinto. The hub carries a worm gear 40 meshing with a worm on a shaft 4| also journaled in box 35 at right angles.

to the hub, and this shaft is connected through a coupling 42 with a motor 43 supportedon some convenient portion of the machine such as a vertica'lly extending web or bracket l5.

Thus by energizing the motor to rotate shaft 4 I, gear 40 may be correspondingly rotated to turn shafts '32 and thereby move the guide supports and edge guides simultaneously in or out from the center line of the machine so as to adjust the space between them in accordance with the width of the strip which is to be rolled, the motor controlling means being-preferably located in a position in which the operator can watch the movement of the guides as he manipulates it so as to readily obtain their proper setting.

However, preparatory to coiling the strip in the normal operation of the machine, it must first be led over the guide table and between pinch rolls I4 and directed into the coiler, and to facilitate this operation it is desirable that the edge guides be moved away from their adjusted guiding position so as to leave the table comparatively clear. Means are therefore provided for simultaneously moving both edge guides outwardly from any position to which they have been previously brought as just described and returning them thereto after the strip has been threaded through the rolls and secured to the drum. To this end a generally vertically directed lever 50 is pivoted at its upper end to each of the-shafts 32 and at its lower end to some suitable fixed point on the frame of the machine so as to be capable of limited oscillation about an axis 5|; to provide these pivotal points webs 52- may be carried up from the base of the machine and enlarged heads or bosses formed thereon for reception of the lower ends of the levers .as generally shown in Fig. 3. For oscillating these levers about axes 5| an operating cylinder 53, conveniently supported on a generally similar web 54, is arranged outwardly of each lever and its piston connected through the medium of a clevis 55 on its rod with the lever about midway of its length, so that as fluid is introduced to the cylinder on one side'or the other of the piston the lever will be correspondingly swung in or out so as to slide the adjacent shaft 32 and guide support interconnected therewith in a corresponding direction, the inner end of the shaft telescop-- ing in hub 34 during this movement. Of course some suitable provision must be made for taking care of the change of 'angularity of the levers as they move from onelimit position to the other as,

- for example, by forming the lower end of each lever in a jaw shape, as shown, to receive a block 56 rotatable about axis 5| so that the lever can ,slide slightly upon the block, but any other artaneously admittedjo the corresponding ends of mitted to the oppositeends of the cylinders so as to throw both levers-respectively; in a reverse direction, thus enabling the operator to move the edge guides in or out from their adjusted positions .on the-shafts when and as he desires.

' customarily in the normal operation of the mill,

strip which is to be rolled and the guides are then backed off, that .is, moved oppositely outward, from adjusted position by reverse operation of the pistons in cylinders 53 while the strip is being led over the guide table, through the pinch rolls and into the coiler. They are then again moved in to their former position in which they lie adjacent the edges of the strip and the rolling and coiling of the latter are commenced and continued until the entire strip has been rolled and coiled.

Assuming that, as shown, two coilers are associated with the runout table and that strip S has been fully wound in coiler C and its rear end thus cleared from the runout table, gate 5 is then closed and the succeeding strip led over it to the other coiler C after gate 5 has been raised and the edge guides associated with that coiler suitably adjusted, and while this second strip is being thereafter fed to coiler C, the previously formed coil isremoved from coiler C preparatory to forming a third coil therein after completion of the second coil in coiler C. As long as strips of the same width are being rolled, it is of course unnecessary to re-set the adjusted distance between the edge guides associated witheach coiler each time they are respectively brought into opera tion though ordinarily the guides are backed off, as hitherto stated, whenever a strip is being inserted through the adjacent pinch rolls l4.

Obviously the width of the narrowest strip which can be satisfactorily guided is determined by the minimum possible spacing of the edge guides which is attained when the guide supports are disposed at the inner ends of threaded shafts 32 and levers 50 are most nearly adjacent each other; in Fig. 3 the positions of the guides under these conditions are indicated at G, G, and their corresponding positions when backed oh by sepa-. rating levers 50 as far as possible at G", G". On the other hand, the width of the widest strip which can be accommodated is determined by the maximum possible spacing of the edge guides which spacing is limited .by the lengthof the slots in the guide table in which they travel, since the threaded shafts 32 are preferably made long e'noughto allow the guides to be moved out substantially to the ends of the slots irrespective of the position of levers 50. Of course when the guides are in this' position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 3, and the levers adjacent each other, the guides cannot be backed off materially while the'strip is being threaded but as this condition occurs only when strips of substantially the maximum width are being handled it is unimportant since at most it merely makes the operation of threading them somewhat less easy of performance.

It is thus apparent that my invention provides satisfactory and easily operated means for in? suring movement of a strip from a. runout table to a coiler in a substantially straight line path withoutweaving or lateral deviation; that the means by which this result is effected are relatively a simple and of a character not likely to get out of order or becomedamaged under the'duty they are required to perform, and that the only parts thereof which are subjected to material wear "are readily renewable when and as required.

The invention therefore solves a distinct proba material contribution thereto.

While I have herein described a preferred embodiment of the invention with considerable particularityit will be understood that I do not thereby desire or intend to confine myself thereto or to restrict the use of the invention to any particular type of strip mill, runout table or coiler, and furthermora'that the various elements and instrumentalities which I utilize in carrying out the invention are capable of modification and variation in numerous particulars without departing from its spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, '1 claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States:

1. In a strip mill comprising a runout table, a coiler and a guide table interposed therebetween having aligned slots extending transversely of the path of the strip, guide supports movable in said slots in opposite directions, strip guides carried by the supports adapted to engage the edges of a strip during its passage over the table to maintain the strip in longitudinal alignment with the coiler, a gear having an axially elongated hub rotatably mounted beneath the table, shafts extending slidably into the hub and oppositely outward therefrom in substantial parallelism with said slots, means interconnecting. the shafts and the hub for simultaneously rotating the shafts when the gear is rotated, said shafts outwardly. of the hub having threads of opposite pitch and each guide support having a threaded connection with the subjacent shaft, means for rotating the gear. in eitherdirection to thereby adjust the guides laterally with respect to the table, and means for simultaneously moving the' shafts axially in opposite directions. 7

2.- In .a strip mill comprising a runout table, a

'coiler and a, guide table interposed therebetween,

pitch and each guide support having threaded connection with the adjacent shaft, means for rotating the gear in either direction to thereby adjust the guides laterally with respect to the table, alever connected with each shaft for moving'the shaft axially, and means for actuating said levers.

'3. In stripguiding mechanism for a strip mill, a guide table, a housing disposed therebeneafth, a gear having-ani-a'xially elongated hub rotatably supported in the housing and provided with an axial bore having av keyway extending longitudinally thereof, a pair of oppositely threaded shafts disposed in axial alignment with said bore on opposite sides of the gear and having unthreaded extensions slidably projecting into the bore, keys carried by said extensions engaging said keyway, means for sliding the shafts axially relatively to the gear, strip guides disposed on opposite sides of the table, a guide support interconnected with each guide and comprising an Jnternnlly-threaded portion surrounding the subjacentshaft whereby rotation of the gear and shafts is operative to move the supports and 2,111,054, km in the industry and it is believed constitutes guides laterally of the table inaopposite directions.

4, In strip guiding mechanism of the character described, apair of guide supports, a pair of axially aligned shafts having external threads of opposite pitch threaded intoisaid supports.

means for rotating the shafts simultaneously comprising a gear having an elongated hub, an

extension oneach shaft slidably projecting into said hub, means constraining the shafts to turn with the hub but affording capacity for sliding movement therebetween, driving means for the gear, and means respectively interconnected withthem axially relameans for rotating the shafts simultaneously comprising a gear having an elongated hub, an extension on each shaft slidably projecting into said hub, means constraining the shafts to turn with the hub but affording capacity for sliding I movement therebetween, driving meansfor the gear, and means comprising a lever connected with each shaft and arranged for limited oscillation about a fixed point and a fluid actuated piston cooperative therewith for moving the shaft axially relatively to the hub.

6. In strip guiding means for a strip mill com-- prising a runout'table and a coiler, a guide table extending from the runout table toward the coiler and provided with transverse slots, means forming ways extending parallel with the slots, guide supports slidable in v the ways and extending through the slots, strip guides carried by the supports above the table, means for sliding the sup ports in opposite directions to adjust the relative positions of the guides comprising a, pair of oppositely threaded shafts respectively extending through the supports and means for simultaneously rotating the shafts, and means for mov- 'ing the shafts axially to thereby move the supports and guides from and to'their adjusted positions. I p

' 7. In a strip mill comprising a runout table and a coiler and a guide table extending from the runout table-toward the coiler, an edge guide adjacent the guide table, means for reciprocating the guide transversely of the table, andmeans for varying the position of the guide with respect to the reciprocating means'to thereby determine Jheposition of the guide'with respect to the table when at either end of its path of reciprocation.

8. In a stri mill comprising a runout table,

a'coiler and a guide table for guiding the strip toward the coiler, an edge guide adjacent the guide table, means for adjusting the guide transversely of the table to accommodate various widths of strip being coiled, and means operable to reciprocate the guide transversely of the table from anyadjusted position thereof.

9. In a stripmillcomprising a runout table, a coiler and a guide table for guiding the strip toward the coiler, an edge'guide adjacent the guide table, means for adjusting the edge guide to accommodatevarious widths of strip'being coiled, and means for moving the edge guide out of its normal guiding position, said moving means eing independent of the adjusting'means.

10. In combination with a strip mill, a coiler,

and means interposed between the mill and the in a rectilinear path comprising an edge guide adapted to engage an edge of the strip, means for adjusting the guide to accommodate various Widths of strip being coiled, and means for moving it away from and returning it to guiding position, said moving means being independent of the adjusting means.

11. In a strip mill comprising a runout table, a coiler and a guide table interposed between the runout table and the coiler, a pair of strip guides movable transversely of the guide table on opposite sides of its-center line adapted to restrain lateral movement of a strip during its longitudinal passage thereover, a support for each guide, a pair of axially aligned oppositely threaded shafts extending through the supports beneath the guide table, means for simultaneously rotating both shafts to thereby move the guide supports and guides transversely of the table in opposite directions in correspondence with the rotation of the shafts, and means for moving the shafts axially in opposite directions to thereby correspondingly .move the guide supports and guides.

12. In strip guiding mechanism for a'strip mill, a guide table having transversely aligned slots, a pair of guide supports respectively extending through the slots adjacent opposite sides of the table each having an internally threaded bore disposed beneath it, means carried by the table forming ways for, the supports, an .externally threaded shaft extending through each bore, the threads on the shafts being of opposite pitch, means for simultaneously rotating the shafts to slide the supports in opposite directions on said ways, and means independent of the shaft rotating means for moving the shafts axially in opposite directions.

GEORGE F. PAUL. 

